Esquites: Vegan Mexican Street Corn

Esquites (vegan Mexican street corn) are the perfect snack or party appetizer. Tender corn is simmered with dairy-free butter, onion, garlic, and epazote, then topped with your choice of mayonnaise, crema, lime juice, chile powder, and vegan queso fresco.

vegan mexican street corn in a cup topped with chile powder with a lime wedge beside it

A History

The word esquite comes from the nahuatl word izquitl, which means to toast corn. Throughout Mexico, they are also known as trolelotes, chaska, or elote en vaso. Corn kernels are prepared usually by cooking them with water, salt, and epazote, then served with various toppings. They are sold on the streets in small carts or booths, outside of movie theaters, plazas, churches, or anywhere where large groups of people gather.

Blue saute pan with butter onion and garlic

It is said that esquites were created by Tlazocihuapilli, the only women to ever govern the Xochimilcas, which are also known for dishes like Necuatolli (atole with honey), and Tlapiques (stews cooked in corn husks). However, the modern variation of vegan Mexican street corn is not pre-Hispanic since it was the Spanish themselves that brought limes, cow’s milk cheese, and crema. Mayonnaise wasn’t invented in France (or Spain depending on who you ask) until 1756, and brought commercially into Mexico until 1947.

Blue saute pan with corn kernels

Regional differences

Mexican cuisine changes so much according to the region or state that you are in, and the same is true with esquites. In Coahuila where I’m from the corn is simmered in water, and served in a cup with the various toppings which always includes crema.

Blue saute pan with veggie broth added to corn kernels

In Hidalgo, they are made with pulque (fermented drink made from the sap of maguey), onion, garlic, jalapeño, and epazote. In Hermosillo, they are sweet, simmered in a type of piloncillo sugar. In Tlaxcala, they are sautéed with epazote and green chile. Everywhere in Mexico, it’s super popular right now to crush Takis and use them as a topping! How is it served in your home state?

from left to right a cup of corn with mayo, vegan crema added to the cup of corn, chile paste added to cup of corn, vegan queso added to cup of corn

Ingredients

Corn: This is a tricky one. Corn in Mexico is not sweet at all, it is similar to what is known as field corn in the US. I recommend you use white corn, not sweet yellow corn to make this.

Vegan Crema: You can find my recipe for almond crema here.

Vegan Queso Fresco or Cotija: I used both if these but if you’re looking for a quick version use the vegan cotija. I make my queso fresco with almonds or macadamia nuts.

from left to right 3 cobs of corn, 3 cobs of corn with mayo, 3 cobs of corn with queso fresco, three cobs of corn with chile powder

Vegan Mayo: I used the new Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo. It is certified paleo, keto, vegan, dairy-free, sugar-free, and Whole 30 approved. It is creamy and tangy, so go easy on the lime. . It is available at your local Target.

Primal Kitchen has so many great vegan condiments and sauces. I highly recommend them. Our absolute favorite is the Organic Unsweetened Ketchup which is sweetened with balsamic vinegar!!

Chile powder: Use a chile powder that doesn’t have lime in it. In Coahuila, we like to make this into a paste, by adding water and lime juice to the chile powder. I think it comes out much better this way.

3 cobs of corn covered in mayo, chile powder, and cheese

Serving

Serve in a cup and let everyone choose their own topping or if you want to leave the corn on the cob throw it on the grill then brush it with butter, mayo, vegan cheese, and chile powder.

3 corn ears on a colorful plate surrounded by cups of corn with colorful napkins

Storing

Store the corn without the toppings in the fridge for 5 days. This would not do well with freezing.

mexican street corn in a cup topped with all the fixings

Related Recipes

Vegan Queso Fresco

Vegan Queso Cotija

Almond Crema

TVP Street Tacos

a spoon digging into the cup of corn

Vegan Mexican Street Corn (Esquites)

Esquites (vegan Mexican street corn) this popular Mexican snack gone vegan is just as delicious as the original, but dairy-free!
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 365kcal
Author: Dora R.

Ingredients

  • 4 ears Corn (3 1/4 cups) kernels cut off
  • 1 sprig Epazote fresh
  • 2 Arbol chiles dried
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • ½ cup Onion diced
  • 1 ½ tbsp. Vegan butter
  • 2-3 cups Vegetable stock

Toppings:

Instructions

  • Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add butter, as soon as butter begins to melt add onion. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or until onion is tender and translucent.
  • Add garlic, stir, and continue to cook 2 more minutes or until you begin to smell the garlic.
  • Add corn, epazote, and chile de arbol. Stir to combine. Add vegetable broth, enough to barely cover the corn, and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 8 min. or until the corn is tender. Season to taste with salt.
  • Drain some of the corn with a slotted spoon, and place it into cups. Add a squeeze of lime juice, 1 tbsp. vegan mayo, 1 tbsp. almond crema, 1 tbsp. Vegan queso fresco to each cup. Sprinkle some chile powder on top, and some more lime juice if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use white corn for better results. I recommend you use a chile powder that doesn’t have lime in it. You can substitute chile jalapeño or serrano for the chile de arbol. To make this with corn on the cob, grill your corn then slather with vegan butter, vegan mayo, vegan queso fresco, and chile powder. You can also use my vegan queso cotija.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1061mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4721IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @dorastable or tag #mexicangonevegan!

Similar Posts

5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.